AUSTINTOWN, Ohio – After a full year of electric-vehicle sales to customers throughout the region, Greg Greenwood says he’s convinced that the EV market is here to stay and has only just gotten its motor running in the Mahoning Valley.
“Around here we’re starting to see that momentum,” says Greenwood, president of Greenwood Chevrolet in Austintown. “You’re starting to see more of them on the road, including what we sell.”
Moreover, the public has had more than a year to digest whether EVs are the right fit for their lifestyle, and some have embraced a market that is gradually picking up.
“The idea that somehow they will go away, that they won’t be in existence – that’s not going to happen,” Greenwood says. “And the idea that it’s going to become an overnight sensation? Well, that never was really the plan in the first place.”
Greenwood acknowledges that EVs are not going to appeal to the entire market. “It’s certainly not going to be everybody’s cup of tea,” he notes. “There’s going to be people concerned about battery duration, concerns about the weather around here, and some people have decided that it’s a great second car. Well, not everyone has a second car.”
Still, EV technology related to battery range and other features is accelerating at a rapid clip, Greenwood says, alleviating some concerns prospective buyers have when considering the purchase of an electric vehicle. “I think a lot of those questions are being answered in real time,” he says.
Greenwood is also confident that EVs – especially Chevrolet’s lineup – are strong enough to withstand federal policy changes. That includes the Trump administration’s pledge to eliminate the electric vehicle tax credit, a $7,500 incentive that qualified buyers could apply to their tax returns on certain EV models. Some buyers, he elaborates, were not eligible to receive the credit because they fall into a higher tax bracket, he says.
Other potential changes – such as a pullback on federal spending that would stymie the build-out of electric-vehicle charging infrastructure – also isn’t likely to impede adoption anytime soon, Greenwood says. “What I do see is that the infrastructure that already exists will support a lot of growth in the industry,” he says.
More EV Models, More Choice
The introduction of EV versions of already popular vehicles in General Motors’ portfolio, plus generous lease programs, helped boost the automaker’s electric vehicle sales by 50% in 2024 to 114,432 units. During the fourth quarter, EV sales jumped by 124% compared to the same period a year earlier, GM reported. Sales of EVs hit 42,000 during the fourth quarter, 10,000 more than the third quarter, the company says.
In addition, GM won sizeable gains in market share throughout 2024. During the first three months of last year, the automaker reported a 6.5% market share in the EV space. By the close of 2024, that share had nearly doubled to 12%.
The dealership turned in strong EV sales results during February, says Jim Conlin, new car manager at Greenwood. Over the last year, the dealership has rolled out three new EV versions in Chevrolet’s lineup: the Equinox EV, the Blazer EV and the Sliverado pickup EV.
Conlin says part of the appeal to customers is affordability. “GM has come out with attractive lease offers on them,” he says. “The great thing about the lease is since this is new technology to people, this is something you can try out over two or three years and see how you like it.” Once the lease expires, the customer can determine whether the vehicle is appropriate for their needs.
“The Equinox is our No. 1 seller, followed by Blazer and then the Silverado,” he says.
The dealership has on order a super sport version of the Blazer, Conlin says. “It has a lot more power and a little bit longer range,” he says, noting that the super sport should boast an average of more than 300 miles on a single charge, even with all-wheel drive capabilities. “Right now, the all-wheel drive Blazers are around the 270 and 280 mark,” he says.
Greenwood Chevrolet has 12 EVs on the lot, Conlin says, and two additional Equinox EVs are on order. These models are $37,000 units, he continues, but with the EV tax credit, that number is reduced to $29,500. “The tax credit has definitely helped sell these vehicles,” he says. “At the end of the day, though, it’s going to come down to the consumer. There are a lot of pros even if that tax credit is eliminated.”
It’s also unclear how GM would respond should those tax credits disappear, Conlin says. “There might be more incentives to offset some of those,” he says. “It’s kind of a wait-and-see, so we’re going to monitor it.”
What is heartening is those that do purchase EVs like them, Conlin says. During the second half of 2024, GM emerged as the No. 2 seller of EVs during the second half of that year, behind Tesla. “We’re coming off a year that was the introductions of a lot of those models. It’s definitely looking positive ahead where we’ll be increasing those numbers.”
Conlin also reports more customers are inquiring about EVs and he has observed more charging activity at the dealership’s two electric vehicle charging stations. Each charger boasts 120 kilowatt hours, among the fastest chargers in the region.
“We’ll probably be adding more chargers here in the future,” he says. “We’re actually inquiring about adding an even quicker one – maybe a 180 kilowatt.”
Conlin expects the momentum to continue through 2025.
Sales associate Sean Franks says customers today are much more informed and aware of the EV market than they were just a year ago. “They’re much more educated,” he says. “People are reading a lot more about them, there are a lot more reports on them, and it seems like people are a lot less hesitant getting into them, at least my clients.”
Franks says there is substantial demand for the EV Equinox, and interest continues to build for other models.
Perhaps the best sales strategy for EVs is to allow a potential customer to get behind the wheel and judge for themself. “They’re impressive,” he says. “That’s the first thing I do – I get them behind the wheel and let them drive it. Usually, the car sells itself if someone is already into the technology.”
Greenwood is optimistic that sales will continue to build off a successful 2024, and the electric vehicle isn’t in danger of fading away. “I just think it’s going to continue to keep going, they’re going to continue to make it more affordable on its own,” Greenwood says. “The investments have already been made, the die is already cast with so much engineering and advanced technology. It’s good to have that behind us, because now we have momentum.”
Pictured at top: Jim Conlin, new car manager at Greenwood Chevrolet, stands next to one of the Equinox EVs available at the dealership.